Sardar Yousuf Moves to Address Longstanding Graveyard Crisis in Mansehra
UrduPoint (August 20, 2026) – The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership has taken a significant step towards resolving the longstanding graveyard crisis in Mansehra. This issue has intensified due to rapid population growth post-2005 earthquake.
Shortage of suitable burial space has been a major concern, especially in urban areas where existing graveyards are increasingly congested. Proposals to acquire land for new graveyards in remote locations further complicated matters.
In a positive development, the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has instructed the Deputy Commissioner Mansehra to:
- De-notify land identified for graveyards in four urban union councils.
- Facilitate the process of identifying more suitable and accessible burial sites.
PML-N leader Sardar Zahoor stated that former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had allocated Rs200 million in 2016 for graveyard construction and land purchases in these areas. This move reflects the PML-N’s commitment to addressing the growing burial space shortage.
Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, also played a pivotal role by raising the issue with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Following this intervention, authorities reconsidered proposed graveyard locations and ensured accessibility for local populations.
The PML-N leadership welcomes this development as a crucial step towards resolving a long-standing concern for Mansehra residents. This comes at a time when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ruling party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has faced criticism for not adequately addressing the issue during its tenure.
Local residents stress the importance of graveyards being located near populated areas with proper road access to minimize additional burdens on bereaved families.
